roman around – “Pity Party” [Song Review]

Singer-songwriter, drummer, and multi-instrumentalist roman around, aka Roman Rivera, unveils their new single/music video “Pity Party,” a song about how a self-obsessed society copes with emotional pain.

roman around explains, “‘Pity Party’ offers a critique of how people sometimes handle emotional pain in superficial or attention-seeking ways, particularly in the era of social media.”

The multi-racial artist grew up in Fresno, California, where they serve as a music educator for K-12 students, fostering a safe place for themselves and others in the LGBTQ+, POC, music, and general community.

In 2022, roman around announced their arrival with the release of “Star Signs,” a blend of complex percussion, spacy synths, and a heavy bassline, all topped by deliciously scraping vocals. Their music has appeared on Spotify Fresh Finds, along with being heralded on elite media outlets. In 2024, their song “Comes With Age” was synced in the final season of Good Trouble on Freeform.

roman around, photo by Blu Torres

“Pity Party” opens on potent, syncopated percussion as a hazy, shoegaze-like guitar spills out tones suffused with psychedelia and hints of jazz. roman around’s drifting vocals imbue the vocals with timbres of dreamy sorrow as they perceive and narrate the harmful behaviors used to deal with emotional issues.

Wonderfully different from the run-of-the-mill music being foisted on listeners, “Pity Party” establishes roman around as one to watch.

Run Time: 3:15
Release Date: June 12, 2024
Record Label: Trailing Twelve Records